Power-transmitting mechanism.



- J. B. BISSELL.

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED M AILZO, 1909. 1 ,077,1 1 8.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: (Q/WM mvENTdR 7 COLUMBIA FLA'NOGRAPH (20., WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. E. BISSELL. POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1909.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

INVENTOR Atty COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 1:0.,WASHINOTOS.&. c.

NE 55s:

E. BISSBLL. POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1909.

1,077,1 18. Patehted OctQ 28, 1913.

3 BHEBTS-SHEET 3.

FlllE,

.rosnrrr E. BISSELL, or rrrrssuraoi-r, rEnNsYLvANIA.

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr E.'BISSELL, residing at Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Al legheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the UnitedStates, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvementsin Power-Transmitting- Mechanism, of which improvement the following isa specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements inmechanism for transmitting and transforming the power generated by areciprocating motor to a shaft, said improvements being especiallyapplicable for connecting the motor to the driven axle of automobiles,etc.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of the chassis of an automobile showing myimproved transforming and transmitting mechanism connecting the motorand driven axle; Fig. 2 is a View partly in side elevation and partly insection showing the connections from the motor to the axle; Fig. 8 is asectional view on an enlarged scale of a speed regulation mechanismadapted to'be interposed in the connection between the motor and axle;Fig. 4: is a sectional view of the driven axle and parts carriedthereby; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing the retaining pawl;Fig. 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of thepreferred form of motor and the driving connection extending therefromand Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the means for shifting the membersof the clutch mechanism and releasing the retaining pawls.

In the practice of my invention any suitable form of motor is employedwhereby a reciprocating movement may be imparted to the connectionsleading to the axle and shaft. Itis preferred to employ a motor of thetype shown consisting of two four or more cylinders 1 1 arranged inpairs, the members of each pair being on opposite sides of the shaft 2and having their pistons connected to a common crank pin or independentcrank pins correspondingly arranged. In this form of engine it iscustomary to utilize the shaft 2, which carries the fly wheel or wheelsto rotate the axle or shaft to be driven. It is preferred however toprovide the pistons of the rear cyl- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 20, 1909.

Serial No. 48,741.

inders 1 with piston-rods 3, extending through stufling boxes on therear heads of the cylinders. The piston rods are con nected by pitmen 4to arms 5' projectingv from sleeves 6 loosely mounted on the axle orshaft 7, which it is desired to drive.

It will be understood that the abutment 29 may be adjustably secured tothe cylinder-head by means of screw-thread connectionto the collar 40,which in turn may be secured, in any desired manner, to the cyl-Patented Got. 28,1913.

inder-head. Thus the tension of the spring 27 may be properly adjusted.

The connection between the piston rods and pitme'nmay be formed by across-head 8 mounted in guides 9. The pitmen may be connected directlyto the arms 5 or to blocks 10 movably mounted in slots 11 in the arms,as shown in Fig. 2. In such case provision is made for adjusting theblocks along the slots. This can be conveniently done by connecting onearm of a bell. crank lever 12 by links 13 to the pitmen adjacent to theblocks, while the other arm of the bell crank is connected by a rod 14extending toward the front of the machine, to an arm 15 on a sleeve 16loosely mounted on the shaft 16 and provided with an operating handle17.As will be readily understood the shifting of the block will vary theare through which the arms 5 are moved and will also vary the efficiencyof the power applied to the arms.

As before stated the sleeves 6 are loosely mounted on the axle s0 astobe capable of rotation around the axle and also being moved along thesame. movement is preferably effected by means of bell crank levers 18,one arm of which is provided with pins projecting into peripheralgrooves in the sleeves, while the other arms are connected by a rod 19to an arm on the shaft 16*, which is provided with an operating handle20. The sleeves are provided with suitable means whereby, when properlyshifted they will engage either the disks 21 or 22 connected to theshaft or axle. In the construction shown the sleeves are provided ontheir ends with teeth oppositely arranged, respectively, so that thesleeves when moving in one direction, will if in engagement with thedisks The longitudinal 21 rotatethe shaft in that direction, but ifshifted to engage the disks 22 will rotate the shaft only when moving inthe opposite direction. The disks 21 are connected to the shaft or axlethrough the medium ofcoiled springs 23, which have one end secured tothe disks 21 and the opposite ends to the axle, preferably through disks24: keyed to the axle, as shown in Fig. i. vl hen the arms are shiftedto the left in Fig. 2 or in a direction to impart a forward movement tothe machine, the springs will be placed under tension before anymovement imparted to the axle and such tension will be maintained whilethe arms are moving to the left. When the arms move to the right thetension under which the springs were placed would tend to cause thedisks 21 to follow the sleeves for a part of their backward movement.This return movement of the disks is prevented by spring pawls 25, sothat the tension under which the springs are placed during the firstpart of the movement of the arms 5 to the left, will be utilized incontinuing the forward rotation of the shaftor axle. Hence although thearms are yieldingly connected to the axle and a part of their power isabsorbed in placing the springs under tension, such power is not whollylost, as the springs will continue to act on the axle while the arms aremoving to the right.

lVhile the disks 22, with which the sleeves are caused to engage, when arearward movement of the machine is desired, may be connected to theaxle in the same manner as the disks 21, such connection is deemedunnecessary as the rearward movement is but a very small percentage ofthe total movement and is generally effected under a slow speed andhence thedisks 22 are preferably keyed to the shaft or axle. Themovement imparted to the sleeves longitudinally of the shaft or axle 7'to engage the disks 21, is suilicient to effect some compression of thesprings, which then become effective to hold the teeth on the sleevesand disks 21 in yielding engagement. The longitudinal resilience of therod 19 will also assist in maintaining the sleeves and disks 21 inengagement. It is preferred to utilize this longitudinal resilience ofthe rod 19 to hold sleeve 6 in engagement with the disks 22 when themachine is moving backward. In order to prevent the spring actuateddisks 21 from following the sleeves, when the latter are shifted awayfrom the disks, suitable stops are employed, which in the constructionshown in Fig. 4L consist of tubes 26 surrounding the axle and formingbearing surfaces for the sleeves. When a rearward movement is desiredthe pawls 25 are disengaged from the disks 21. This is pref erablyeffected by means of the rod 19 which is employed to shift the sleeves6, and to this end an arm 35 provided at its ends with lugs 36 engagingthe paw-ls 25, is connected to the rod 19 by the pin connecting said rodto the bell cranks 18 as clearly shown in Fig. 7.

By adjusting the point of connection of the pitmen with the arms 5, theeffective length of stroke applied to the axle is varied, as well as theeffective power. This regulation of the application of power to theshaft or axle, can be effected without adjusting the connection of thepitmcn with the arms, by interposing between the motor and the arm,yielding connections capable of adjustment, so that the piston of themotor will have more or less movement before such connections will beplaced under su'lii cient stress to transmit the motion of the piston tothe axle. A suitable construction for this purpose is shown in Figs. 1and 3, and consists of springs 27 arranged in cylinders 28 and bearingat one end against adjustable heads or abutments 29 and at theiropposite ends against movable abutments 30. It will be understood thatthe abutment 29 may be adjustably secured to the cylinder headprotrusion 40 as by screw threads, to the end that the tension of thespring 27 may be properly adjusted. The pitmen l bear against theabutments 30, the ends of the pitmcn extending into the cylinders andhaving heads or enlargements 81 adapted to engage the cylinder when thepiston-rods move to the left in Figs. 1 and 3, or during the movement ofthe rods effective in producing a forward movement of the machine. Thepiston rods 3 are extended through the springs and abutments 30 and areprovided with enlargements 32 adapted to bear against the same side ofthe abutmcnts 80 as the pitmen 4:. The piston rods 3 are also providedwith shoulders 38 adapted to bear against the ends of the cylinders 28when the piston rods are moving to the right in Figs. 1 and 3.

In describing the operation of the regulator, it will be supposed thatthe piston rod 3 is beginning its inovement to the left, and the severalparts are in the position shown in Fig. 3. By means of the engagement ofthe head 32 with the abutment 30, the sprin 27 will be compressed, theopposite end of the spring bearing against the front end of thecylinder, or the adjustable abutment 29 interposed between such end of.the cylinder and the spring. The amount of compression of the springwill depend upon thev tension of the spring and the resistance which thecylinder will present by reason of its connection to the shaft or axlethrough the interlocking of the head 31 on the pitman 4 with the rearend of the cylinder. lVhen the piston rod reaches the limit of itsmovement to. the left, the several parts will return to normal positionshown in Fig, 3, and when the piston begins its movement to the right,the collar 33 on the rod 3 will push the cylinder in the same directionand through the spring 27 exert a resilient push on the itman 4. Byadjusting the head or piston rod 3, passing through the abutment.

The cylinder has an inlet port connected by a pipe to a suitable sourceof fluid under pressure as the pump 34, which can be operated by hand.As the cylinder 28 is movable the pipe connection consists of twosections connected respectively to the pump and cylinder and one movablewithin the other. As'will be readily understood, the tension of thespring 27 can be increased by forcing fiuid into or permitting it toescape from the cylinder. By increasing the tension of the spring, themovement of the piston rod.

independent of the arm 5 can be reduced, or in other words by increasingsuch tension, the effective length of stroke of the pitman is increased.

Reciprocating pawls and ratchet wheels have been long employed where ahigh speed of the driven part is not required, and further in order toapproximate a continuous drive, a plurality of pawls and ratchets havebeen used. While such mechanism is etficient for transmitting power, itis impracticable at high speeds, as each pawl at the beginning of itsforward movement will engage the ratchet suddenly and the result is thatpower is applied to the ratchet wheel by a series of blows, and theresultant movement or rotation is jerky. It is characteristic of myimprovement that by the interposition of suitable power storin meansbetween the ratchet and the shaft or other part to be driven; a. portionof the power of the motor during the forward movement or while drivingthe ratchet wheel will be taken up by the power storing means and willbe applied to the driven part or shaft during the backward movement ofthe motor orwhile the motor is disengaged from the shaft. It is furthercharacteristic of my improvement that by the interposition in theconnection between the motor and the pawl or reciprocating member of amember resilient when subjected to a force of predetermined value orgreater, the duration of the application of power to the shaft or partto be driven is automatically adjusted in accordance with the load. Andfurther the adjustment of the tension of this resilient member can beeflected without stopping the motor.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. The combination of a shaft, ratchet' wheels having reversely arrangedteeth secured to said shaft, the attachment of one of said wheels beingresilient, a reciprocating part loosely mounted on said shaft and havingteeth constructed to engage said wheels during forward and backwardstrokes respectively, means for preventing the backward movement of thewheel having the resilient connection to the shaft, and means forsimultaneously shifting the said reciprocating part and the said wheelretaining means. r

2. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of angular'lyarranged ro tating crank pins, shafts, toothed disks hav ing resilientconnections to the shafts, oppositely toothed disks also connected tothe shafts, arms loosely mounted to the shafts and adapted when movingin one direction to engage one set of disks and when moving in the oposite direction to engage the other set of dis 8, detents for preventinga backward movement of the resiliently connected disks, and means forshifting the arms from engagement with one set of disks into engagementwith the other set of disks and simultaneously shifting the detents.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH E. BISSELL.

Witnesses:

ALICE A. TRILL, FRANCIS J. TOMASSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

